Relatively small yet relatively dense electrical connectors are employed in many applications. In one type of application, a first connector is mounted to a first substrate and a second, mating connector is mounted to a second substrate so that the first substrate may be electrically coupled to the second substrate by mating contacts on the first and second connectors. Typically, each of the first and second connectors have a plurality of electrical contacts mounted therein, and each contact in the first connector is for mating with a specific corresponding contact in the second connector. Such contacts in each of the first and second connectors may be arranged into rows and columns, staggered rows or any other desirable arrangement.
Generally speaking, each connector utilizes different contacts than the other connector. For example, the first connector could use pin contacts and the second connector could use receptacle contacts. In another type, the first connector could use blade contacts and the second connector could use spring arm, or beam contacts. Of course, other types of mate-able electrical connector pairs are extant.
Using different contacts for each connector in the pair has several disadvantages. First, each such different type of contact must be individually designed and produced. Second, each contact must be kept in inventory. Moreover, care must taken to ensure that the proper contact is mounted in the proper connector. Accordingly, a need exists for a connector having contacts where each contact can mate to a generally identical contact in a mating connector. With such hermaphroditic contacts, then, design and production costs are significantly reduced.